[MR] Wikipedia: Morgan Black Hours

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Today Wikipedia's "Featured Article" concerns the Morgan Black Hours, a
unusual 15th century prayer book held by the Morgan Library & Museum in New
York. This work of art is amazing, and it's Burgundian! You all know I
can't resist touting anything to do with the Dukes of Burgundy and their
opulent court. They had style to burn, and the money to do it.

According to the article, there are just seven known "black hours" prayer
books. They take their monicker from the pages being dyed blue black, with
the lettering done in gold or silver, along with lavish illustrations. The
black color was achieved by dying the vellum pages with gall ink, and
expensive process, and sadly one that was highly corrosive. Of the seven
known examples, the Morgan Black Hours is the best preserved.

All but one of the black hours books appear to have come from Bruges or
Ghent, and date from 1450-1470, during the reigns of Philip the Good or
Charles the Bold, successive Dukes of Burgundy. This period was the height
of Burgundian power. Original ownership of the Morgan Black Hours is
uncertain, but it likely was made for a high Burgundian court official.
Another of the surviving black hours was known to have been produced for
Mary of Burgundy (aka Mary "The Rich"), daughter of Charles the Bold.

An important bonus, the figures in most of the Morgan illuminations are
dressed in what was then contemporary Burgundian court clothes. Although
contemporary clothing on Biblical figures in illuminations and painted
altar panels was common in art of the time, the Morgan Black Hours is a
goldmine of information.

To read the description and history, plus glory in some of the fantastic
illuminations, go to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hours,_Morgan_MS_493 . Be sure to click
on the illuminations to see them in a larger size (most not big enough!).

A more general article showcasing some of the other black hours books is
found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_books_of_hours .

A general article on illuminated manuscripts and their productions
techniques is found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminated_manuscript
.

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆